For some reason Bob Dylan’s Boots of Spanish Leather keeps playing through my mind. Now, I’m far away from Spain but I can’t stop thinking of that song.

I often wish I were in Spain. I can only speak a few words of Japanese, but surely after six years of Spanish I can come with up a little more than “Orange, please!” I keep trying to speak to Japanese people and I know English is not the option. So my mind searches for words that are “NOT ENGLISH.” Unfortunately my “NOT ENGLISH” space is occupied by Spanish words and that is even more worthless than English in this country.

Spain is a very romantic country to travel to, just listen to Boots of Spanish Leather. Don’t you just dream of whisking yourself off to Spain right now? There are no dreamy songs referencing Japan, just silly ones. Domo arregato, Mr. Roboto? Please.

Can I fall in love with Japan? For some reason, Boots of Spanish Leather sticks. So what is this feeling of longing I feel? “Oh, I’m sailing away my own true love.” I once thought I had found a place that was my one true love. But somehow we lost interest in each other. After four and a half years complacent disappointment replaced fascinated elation and we both found it best to let go and move on.

There were very few women in my training group, 6 out of about 30. The two women that I know the best are 25 years old. Both of them have been in relationships for a couple years and decided to continue it long distance in Japan. We occasionally talk about how hard it must be to be in a long distance relationship. Normally, when I talk about this issue I mean it must be difficult to maintain that exclusive relationship when there are so many tempting people nearby. In a country where nobody speaks the language, there aren’t many issues there. In this case I mean it must be difficult to maintain close communication. And how can you stay with the same person if you cannot stay the same person? There are so many vastly different experiences in this new place. You will change. Your partner will have no common reference to what you see, think, or do. It will take you away from him.

At the same time, it must be nice to know that somebody out there loves you. No matter how isolated you are, someone is longing for you.

“Is there something I can send you from across the sea, from the place that I’ll be landing?”